1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for applying a product to the hair. The invention can be particularly advantageous for applying a hair coloring product.
2. Discussion of the Background
Devices are known which include a container and an application part provided with teeth, at the base of which open orifices for dispensing the product contained in the container onto the head of hair. In particular, FR-A-2 782 614 discloses an example of a device for applying a product which includes a container and a dispensing head equipped with two peripheral rows of end teeth, having, between these, an intermediate row of shorter teeth.
FR-A-2 828 999 discloses a similar device for which the end teeth are arranged in such a way as to be positioned in a closed curve surrounding the intermediate row of shorter teeth. In these examples, the spacing between the teeth in the intermediate row is the same as the spacing between the end teeth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,984 also discloses a device for packing and applying a cosmetic product, which includes an applicator head covered with bristles in the middle of which there are teeth via which a product contained in the device is dispensed. This device presents a problem because the product dispensed is not held at the periphery of the applicator head and runs the risk of running in undesired directions at the time of application.
EP-A-0 890 326 describes a brush used to color hair using a coloring product, with projecting elements of the brush being impregnated with the product or able to diffuse it.
As a further example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,513, discloses a dispensing head intended to apply a coloring product to the hair, and designed to be mounted on a container containing the coloring product that is to be applied. The dispensing head includes a support equipped with a flat face from which teeth of various cross sections and various heights protrude. A first row of consecutive and identical teeth are arranged along a longitudinal peripheral edge of the support. In addition, the support includes a second row of consecutive and identical teeth, with the teeth of the second row having a cross section and height smaller than those of the teeth of the first row. Nonetheless, the respective spacings between the teeth of the first and second rows are identical.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,513 also includes an arrangement of fine and very closely spaced teeth provided at one longitudinal end of the support. This arrangement is set out perpendicular to the longitudinal peripheral edges of the support and is therefore oriented at right angles to the first and second rows. These fine teeth are designed to allow a finer application of the coloring product, for example when it needs to be applied to often fine and very short locks of hair around the temples.
The user, when wishing to treat some arbitrary lock of hair using such an applicator head, moves the applicator head in a movement perpendicular to one of the longitudinal peripheral edges, so as to allow the lock of hair to engage between the teeth of the first and second rows. This lock of hair must not be inserted among the fine teeth, because that could hamper brushing and the correct and uniform coating of this lock of hair with the product.
By contrast, when the user wishes to apply the product near her temples, she has to turn the applicator head through 90° so as to be able to engage the lock of hair around her temples in just the rows of fine teeth.
Such an applicator head is designed to use the rows of teeth parallel to the longitudinal peripheral edges independently of the arrangement of fine teeth.
The problem generally encountered when applying a hair coloring product can stem from the very nature of the product that is to be applied. Specifically, this product generally results from the mixing of a liquid product with a powder. This mixture generally contains lumps of powder which have not mixed with the remainder of the liquid. Such lumps may also form when two highly viscous liquids are mixed, with the lumps including the more viscous liquid. In any event, it is difficult to get rid of these lumps using the implements generally available in a bathroom or hairdressing salon.
The use of an applicator head as taught by document U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,513 can lead to such lumps being deposited on the locks of hair when the user uses the first and second rows of teeth parallel to the longitudinal peripheral edges. Since the fine-teeth arrangement cannot hold enough product to treat an entire lock of hair, this arrangement does not perform well in coating long and thick locks of hair.
In addition, as such lumps are deposited on the head of hair, they can locally detract from the treatment of the hair which is then locally colored to a lesser extent, if at all. Furthermore, there is a risk that the lumps will fall off the lock of hair under gravity and then contaminate another lock of hair that was not initially intended to be colored if the head of hair is being colored in streaks. The quality and accuracy of the streaking effect achieved are therefore adversely affected.